Why might I have a bad night's sleep in my second trimester?

Aside from these pregnancy niggles, your hormone levels are stabilising and rest will come easier as a result. Your womb (uterus) has moved up out of the pelvis, taking the pressure off your bladder. This means you'll have fewer night-time trips to the loo.

Morning sickness has hopefully passed by the time you reach 16 weeks (CKS 2013). But you may be unfortunate enough to suffer from nausea throughout your pregnancy.

As your pregnancy progresses you may also find you start to have a touch of heartburn and indigestion during the night (BAP 2010).

You may also notice your baby becoming more active in the evenings. Typically, he’ll start kicking and squirming just as you're settling down for the night (Hijazi and East 2009, Raynes-Greenow et al 2013).

It's quite normal to toss and turn, worrying about becoming a parent. As your bump grows, your baby may become more real to you, bringing home the realisation that you're going to be responsible for a new little person.

Jot down the night-time worries that are keeping you awake, and then discuss them with your partner, a friend, or your midwife. You may find this keeps your fears in perspective, or helps you to find practical solutions for things that have been preying on your mind.

How can I sleep better?

Switch to sleeping on your left side

This is a more comfortable position for you as your bump grows bigger. After 16 weeks of pregnancy, sleeping on your back isn't such a good idea, because your baby is pressing on your blood vessels (Scott and Kerr 2005).

Try lying on your left side, with your knees up and two or more pillows placed between your knees to keep you comfortable. This keeps the pressure off the muscles around your hips and pelvis.

If you wake up in the night and find yourself lying on your back, just turn over to your left side again to go back to sleep. You could try using pillows to help keep you on your left side and to stop you rolling on your back.

Get into a routine

Try to have a regular bedtime (CKS 2014). Although it's tempting, it's best not to have long lie-ins in the morning. You'll only find it harder to nod off at night.

Wind down at the end of the day

Take some time to relax as bedtime approaches (CKS 2014). Don't do strenuous exercise or watch a scary film just before turning in. Have a bath, a warm milky drink or herbal tea, or read a book. Do whatever helps you to relax at night and try to repeat the same pattern each evening.

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